The Audubon County Community Foundation awarded $133,835 to Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2022 Grant Cycle.

The following organizations are Spring 2022 Grant Recipients:

• Audubon County Agricultural Society – $8,000, Audio/Sound System Improvements
• Audubon County Historical Society – $4,700, Exira Museum Displays
• Audubon Recreation Foundation – $25,000, Audubon Recreation Center Gymnasium Expansion
• Exira Community Club – $35,194, New AC Units and Furnaces
• Exira Public Library – $7,075, PLAY Interactive Touch Table
• Friendship Home – $44,866, Memory Care Ceiling Replacement
• The Children’s Nest – $9,000, Staff Work Area Improvements

All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County were eligible to apply.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Cass County Community Foundation (CCCF) report Foundation has awarded $133,555 to Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects during the CCCF Spring 2022 Grant Cycle. All grantees met the criteria as Cass County nonprofit agencies or Only organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. Only organizations providing services in Cass County were eligible to apply.

The following organizations are Spring 2022 Grant Recipients:

• Anita Child Care Center – $1,000, Child Interest Areas Equipment
• Anita Health and Wellness Center – $3,200, New Spin Bikes
• Anita Volunteer Fire Association – $3,500, Stryker Stair Chair
• Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center – $2,500, Upkeep of Essential Daily Equipment
• Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise (ARISE) – $2,500, Chairs for Rock Island Depot
• Atlantic Lions Club – $5,000, Healthy Food through Community Gardens
• CAM Youth Sports – $4,500, Batting Cage
• Cass County Fair Association – $5,000, Chuckwagon Food Stand
• Cass County Health System Foundation – $4,000, Telemedicine Stroke Cart
• City of Griswold – $3,000, City Park Revitalization
• Griswold Fire Department – $2,000, Technical Rescue Equipment
• Griswold Pickleball – $1,000, Pickleball Courts Fencing
• Griswold Rescue – $4,500, Video Laryngoscope
• Griswold Youth Sports – $4,000, Ballfield Improvements
• Kiwanis Club of Atlantic, Iowa – $1,000, Bike Helmets for Third Graders
• LC Clinic – $3,000, Atlantic LC Clinic Technology Equipment
• Lewis First Responders and Firefighters Association – $2,500, Compressor and Cascade System
• Lewis Public Library – $1,400, Bookcase for Children’s Section
• Marne Firefighter and Rescue Association – $10,000, Extrication Tools
• Massena Fire and Rescue – $4,500, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Massena Public Library – $1,500, Update to Walls and Community Room
• Noble Initiative Foundation – $50,000, Griswold Child Development Center
• SHIFT ATL – $5,000, The Telegraph – Exterior Tuck Pointing
• Wiota Community Boosters – $8,955, Wiota City Park – Playground Update

The Cass County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation, which meets National Standards for Community Foundations, and is one of nine county members of the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa. It receives funds annually from the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program for endowment building and grantmaking throughout the county. This cycle of grants was made possible through the County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license.

The Cass County Community Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create permanent and expendable funds that address changing, vital community needs and interests. To inquire about donating to the Cass County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Cass County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

The Cass County Community Foundation Advisory Board Members are Chair, Kristi Burg of Massena; Vice-Chair, Mark D. Kyhnn, CPA of Atlantic; Secretary/Treasurer, Sue Hunt of Atlantic; Sandy Bierbaum of Griswold; and Gaylord Schelling of Atlantic. For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Stacey Goodman, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458 or stacey@omahafoundation.org.

(Radio Iowa) – The 185th Air National Guard Refueling Wing held a first-of-its-kind job fair at the base in Sioux City Wednesday for dozens from area high schools and colleges. Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Carlson coordinated the event which featured more than 90 jobs or Air Force specialties. “We have people who sit in those career fields that can talk about what they’ve experienced, what the training is like, what the normal day-to-day job looks like, and they also have equipment here,” Carlson says.

This job fair was unique because it also included the civilian side of the careers. “At each area we also have an equivalent position that is on the civilian side. A lot of jobs that we have at the 185th can also be done in some form or fashion on the civilian side,” she explains. Carlson says there are a wide number of career possibilities to consider for the students, who can receive paid technical training in the Air Guard, along with obtaining undergraduate college credit.

“Medical, we have civil engineering, computers, security forces, personnel and admin, religious affairs, so our chaplains. We have the equal opportunity down here as well,” Carlson says. “We have logistics, moving people and things. We have fire departments, so if you want to be a firefighter, we have that as well.

She says the traditional careers in the National Guard allow members to attend training primarily on weekends plus two weeks each year while also attending college or working full time at a civilian job. A list of jobs and recruiter information can be found on the 185th Wing website careers page.

CRESTON, Iowa – April 7, 2022 – A project to repair a concrete bridge deck on U.S. 34 between Iowa 48 and Montgomery County Road M-37 near Red Oak requires the closure of U.S. 34 in both directions from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, April 11, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston construction office.

During this project, traffic will be detoured around the work zone using Iowa 48, Montgomery County Road H-34/200th Street, and G Avenue (see map).

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide)

(Shenandoah, Iowa) – A man from Nebraska was transported to the Shenandoah Memorial Hospital Tuesday afternoon, following a single-vehicle accident about two miles east of Shenandoah. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports the driver of a 2016 Nissan Rogue, 35-year-old William R. Dugan, of Elkhorn, NE., was checked-out and treated for unknown/possible injuries.

The accident happened at around 4:14-p.m., near the intersection of 190^th Street and C Avenue. Authorities say Dugan was traveling east on 190^th Street approximately ¼ mile west of the intersection with C Avenue, when his vehicle’s passenger’s side tires dropped off the traveled portion of the road, causing the vehicle to be pulled into the south ditch. The side airbags in the vehicle deployed even though the vehicle didn’t roll or come in contact with anything in the ditch. Dugan then drove in the ditch where the vehicle came to rest.

No citations were issued. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Shenandoah Ambulance service, the Shenandoah Fire Department, and the Shenandoah Police Department.

(College Springs, Iowa) –  One person was injured during a collision that happened at around 8-a.m. Wednesday, in College Springs. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports the collision occurred at the intersection of Missouri Avenue and 290th Street. An investigation determined 45-year-old James Paul Patterson, of rural Coin, and his passenger, were traveling southbound on Missouri Avenue in a 2010 Ford F-150 pickup. The driver of the other vehicle, a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup, was identified as 24-year-old Joshua Allen Grashorn, of College Springs. He was traveling east on 290th Street.

Grashorn told Page County Sheriff’s Office Deputies that when he failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of 290th street and Missouri Avenue, his vehicle struck Patterson’s vehicle in the rear passenger’s side door and passenger’s side box. The collision took place in the middle of intersection, and resulted in both pickups landing in the southeast ditch. Both vehicles sustained disabling damage and were towed from the accident scene.

Patterson and his passenger were not hurt. Grashorn was transported to Clarinda Regional Hospital by Clarinda Ambulance Service, for treatment of unknown injuries. He was subsequently cited for Failure to Yield upon entering through Highway. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Clarinda Ambulance Service, the College Springs Fire and Rescue, and the Page County EMA.

A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

(Atlantic, Iowa) [updated 4/8/22] – Officials with the Atlantic Police Department, Thursday, said a man was taken into custody early Monday morning on a Class-B Felony charge of Attempted Murder, and a Class-C Felony charge of Willful Injury-Causing Serious Injury. 19-year-old Michael Gehling was arrested without incident, following an investigation that began with a 9-1-1 call at around 12:03-a.m. Monday. The call came in from a local resident requesting medical attention for a man who had a stab wound. Officers learned the incident happened in the area of 6th and Pine Streets, in Atlantic, late Sunday night.

Michael Gehling (Booking photo courtesy the Cass County Jail)

The victim (whose name was not released) was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital (Cass Health), in Atlantic, and was later transported to the UNMC in Omaha, for treatment of serious injuries.

A preliminary hearing for Gehling will take place 2-p.m. Thursday, April 14th. A judge issued a No Contact Order between Gehling and a protected party.

No other details concerning the incident were released. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.

The Atlantic Police Department was assisted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

Disclaimer: a Criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests. As previously mentioned, 27-year-old Tyler Keith Evans, of Omaha, was arrested in Council Bluffs at around 4-a.m. today (Thursday), following a pursuit that began in northern Mills County. He faces charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance; Theft in the 1st; Eluding; Drug Tax Stamp Violation; having no valid driver’s license, and failure to show proof of insurance. His bond was set at $45,000.

Tuesday afternoon, 22-year-old Adam Dennis Letts, of Emerson, was arrested for Driving While Barred ($2,000 bond), and at around 12:35-a.m. Tuesday, 46-year-old Brent William Michael, of Malvern, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension ($300 bond). He was taken into custody following an accident at the intersection of Highway 34 and 310th Street. Michael was traveling west on Highway 34 at around 12:35-a.m., and attempted to turn north, onto 310th Street, when he lost control of his 2009 Pontiac, on the gravel. The car slid through the intersection and into a ditch, hitting and knocking over a stop sign before coming to rest. No injuries were reported.

There were also no injuries reported following an accident Wednesday afternoon, in Mills County. The crash happened at 221st Street and Barrus Road. Authorities say 39-year-old Jennifer Tucker, of Glenwood, was driving a 2020 KIA northbound on 221st Street, at the same time a 2021 Acura driven by 21-year-old Katherine Gardiner, of Omaha, was traveling west on Barrus Road.

As she was leaving a stop sign at the intersection, Gardiner failed to yield to the Accura, and struck Tucker’s car on the rear, passenger side.